[TV] El Camino - Breaking Bad sequel

[jeremyfisher]

Disappointed with El Camino. Very well made, but no real depth of story. Felt like out-takes from BB.

I mostly agree.

I didn't feel it stood up as a stand-alone film which is what I was expecting. It was just like having another one-off BB episode.

I loved BB. And had I seen this right after watching the last series, I'd have liked this a lot more. After a few years break and forgetting a lot of the details of the minor characters I found it mostly confusing and slow.

 

[Braggfan]

Disappointed with El Camino. Very well made, but no real depth of story. Felt like out-takes from BB.

I was really disappointed in it too. I thought BB was great but don't really understand why they made this, I don't think it offered anything to the story. In my opinion they pretty much had everything wrapped up in the last episode of BB. If they really needed that ending they could have tagged a 5 minute scene on to the end of the last episode and it would have the same impact.

 

[Wellesley]

I enjoyed it but it did seem to lack any real point. Hopefully it will be the forerunner to a new BB Alaska.

 

[Napper]

Decent enough watch but nowhere near breaking bad levels

 

[jameswestport]

It was shit

 

[Justice]

Monotonous, always seems to be a shit load of cash stashed somewhere to get the said person out of trouble.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Monotonous, always seems to be a shit load of cash stashed somewhere to get the said person out of trouble.

That would be a fair criticism if Jesse had gone to his parents and found a fortune. But he didn't, he went there to get the guns to go and get more cash from Kandy's. It's no surprise that there was a lot of cash hidden at Todd's, the money being generated from the meth sales throughout Europe was pouring in, in cash, while Jesse was his prisoner for 6 months. If anything, there should have been a lot more money stashed in there.

I agree to an extent about Skinny Pete and Badger being able to cough up so much in cash - but America is very cash heavy as a society. Who knows how the boys got that sort of money, but it's not too much of a stretch to assume they're still in the dealing game.

 

[Arthritic Toe]

Unless I missed something I'm a bit confused by why Jesse was suddenly public enemy number one. Given that he had been kept prisoner for 6 months or whatever, how did the authorities even know he was there at the scene of the gang's killing (and Walt's demise)? The film opened with him on the run - that didn't seem to quite make sense.

 

[Braggfan]

Unless I missed something I'm a bit confused by why Jesse was suddenly public enemy number one. Given that he had been kept prisoner for 6 months or whatever, how did the authorities even know he was there at the scene of the gang's killing (and Walt's demise)? The film opened with him on the run - that didn't seem to quite make sense.

Spot on

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Unless I missed something I'm a bit confused by why Jesse was suddenly public enemy number one. Given that he had been kept prisoner for 6 months or whatever, how did the authorities even know he was there at the scene of the gang's killing (and Walt's demise)? The film opened with him on the run - that didn't seem to quite make sense.

Spot on

Spot on in what way? How would the cops know at that point that Jesse wasn't the shooter? All they would have known at that stage was that there's a massacre, a car was driven away (listen to the media reporting). They're looking for the driver of the car. When they've searched the place they'll have found Walt's body (seen in Breaking Bad) and found the confessional tape Jesse made with Hank (RIP). At that point, they'll be after Jesse.

Also, don't forget that Hank told Marie about what had gone on and she would have told the cops about having Jesse in the house, and the whole sorry tale. It's really not all that hard to understand why they were looking for Jesse.

It's not the films' fault that people watched it without either full remembering the story, or full understanding the stakes. There seems a clear disparity between how people who casually watched Breaking Bad and sort of remember what happened enjoyed El Camino, and the people who were really invested in the story and really knew all of the threads of the story. Everyone I know who loved the series and has watched it many times loves El Camino, but the more casual observers haven't particularly enjoyed it.

 

[Braggfan]

Spot on in what way? How would the cops know at that point that Jesse wasn't the shooter? All they would have known at that stage was that there's a massacre, a car was driven away (listen to the media reporting). They're looking for the driver of the car. When they've searched the place they'll have found Walt's body (seen in Breaking Bad) and found the confessional tape Jesse made with Hank (RIP). At that point, they'll be after Jesse.

Also, don't forget that Hank told Marie about what had gone on and she would have told the cops about having Jesse in the house, and the whole sorry tale. It's really not all that hard to understand why they were looking for Jesse.

It's not the films' fault that people watched it without either full remembering the story, or full understanding the stakes. There seems a clear disparity between how people who casually watched Breaking Bad and sort of remember what happened enjoyed El Camino, and the people who were really invested in the story and really knew all of the threads of the story. Everyone I know who loved the series and has watched it many times loves El Camino, but the more casual observers haven't particularly enjoyed it.

I loved Breaking Bad, I thought it was an excellent near perfect series. I wouldn't consider myself a casual observer I think that's a baseless value you're attributing to justify your opinion being more valid than anyone someone else's. I don't think El Camino was awful, it was well made, but I just don't see the point of making it. BB had already (perfectly in my opinion) tied everything up. In terms of the story or Jesse's story arc, it ended with him escaping and leaving it up to your imagine what happens next. At the end of El Camino we're in exactly the same place, Jesse heads off into an unknown future with everything settled. Was it worth 2 hours just to tell his destination? To be honest it felt like something that was written for fans who would have happily lapped up just about anything as long as it had the BB connection without actually considering it's merits.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

I loved Breaking Bad, I thought it was an excellent near perfect series. I wouldn't consider myself a casual observer I think that's a baseless value you're attributing to justify your opinion being more valid than anyone someone else's. I don't think El Camino was awful, it was well made, but I just don't see the point of making it. BB had already (perfectly in my opinion) tied everything up. In terms of the story or Jesse's story arc, it ended with him escaping and leaving it up to your imagine what happens next. At the end of El Camino we're in exactly the same place, Jesse heads off into an unknown future with everything settled. Was it worth 2 hours just to tell his destination? To be honest it felt like something that was written for fans who would have happily lapped up just about anything as long as it had the BB connection without actually considering it's merits.

Opinions are always going to differ - I'm not trying to devalue anyone's, I was saying there's a clear correlation in the people I've spoken to and how much they enjoyed El Camino. For me, it was the perfect continuation of the story and you actually end with closure - that's the difference. Breaking Bad left Jesse free from the boys, but it was far from the end of his troubles. El Camino is a real closure moment for the character, he's got his new life in a new place without having to look over his shoulder all the time. It feels a more deserving end for the character.

I wouldn't have been upset if they'd never revisited the characters though - I think you always have the risk of being a film/story for the sake of it (and for the yankee Dollar) - but this film didn't feel like that for me. It felt like a clear idea, and brilliantly executed.

 

[marcos3263]

I loved Breaking Bad, I thought it was an excellent near perfect series. I wouldn't consider myself a casual observer I think that's a baseless value you're attributing to justify your opinion being more valid than anyone someone else's. I don't think El Camino was awful, it was well made, but I just don't see the point of making it. BB had already (perfectly in my opinion) tied everything up. In terms of the story or Jesse's story arc, it ended with him escaping and leaving it up to your imagine what happens next. At the end of El Camino we're in exactly the same place, Jesse heads off into an unknown future with everything settled. Was it worth 2 hours just to tell his destination? To be honest it felt like something that was written for fans who would have happily lapped up just about anything as long as it had the BB connection without actually considering it's merits.

100% agree. I feel I wasted 2 hours to be honest.

However the main issue was my wife who couldn't work out there were constant flashbacks. so all I kept hearing was "how did he escape?" " I thought he was dead?" " whats going on?" "Whos that?" " Why did you even bother to try to watch anything other than Strictly or Eastenders who you know I have the attention span of a guppy and cant follow any plot with more than 3 people in it"

I was looking forward to watching Joker but with her I may swerve it and rewatch several old episodes of " you've been framed" while slowly banging my head against a wall while mumbling "yes the cat is funny hahhhahahaahahaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

 

[Arthritic Toe]

Spot on in what way? How would the cops know at that point that Jesse wasn't the shooter? All they would have known at that stage was that there's a massacre, a car was driven away (listen to the media reporting). They're looking for the driver of the car. When they've searched the place they'll have found Walt's body (seen in Breaking Bad) and found the confessional tape Jesse made with Hank (RIP). At that point, they'll be after Jesse.

Also, don't forget that Hank told Marie about what had gone on and she would have told the cops about having Jesse in the house, and the whole sorry tale. It's really not all that hard to understand why they were looking for Jesse.

It's not the films' fault that people watched it without either full remembering the story, or full understanding the stakes. There seems a clear disparity between how people who casually watched Breaking Bad and sort of remember what happened enjoyed El Camino, and the people who were really invested in the story and really knew all of the threads of the story. Everyone I know who loved the series and has watched it many times loves El Camino, but the more casual observers haven't particularly enjoyed it.

I don't agree that there would have been an instant 'certainty' that Jesse was the prime suspect. Jesse hadn't been seen for 6 months, Walt was responsible for the massacre and was there at the scene. The gunfire came from the boot of Walt's car which was still there at the scene (Jesse had left in Todd's car). All the evidence points to Walt not Jesse. There is no immediate evidence that Jesse was even there.

"It's really not all that hard to understand why they were looking for Jesse." Well it is actually...

I consider myself heavily invested, and did enjoy it - but consider that a hole in the plot. That's ok - there were several in BB but it was still a brilliant series and the film was great too.

*Edit - the "media reporting" you refer to was an attempt to cover this hole I think. There was nothing at the end of the series to suggest that anyone had been seen driving away.

 

[Justice]

100% agree. I feel I wasted 2 hours to be honest.

However the main issue was my wife who couldn't work out there were constant flashbacks. so all I kept hearing was "how did he escape?" " I thought he was dead?" " whats going on?" "Whos that?" " Why did you even bother to try to watch anything other than Strictly or Eastenders who you know I have the attention span of a guppy and cant follow any plot with more than 3 people in it"

I was looking forward to watching Joker but with her I may swerve it and rewatch several old episodes of " you've been framed" while slowly banging my head against a wall while mumbling "yes the cat is funny hahhhahahaahahaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

And who said romance was dead

 

[Ninja Elephant]

I don't agree that there would have been an instant 'certainty' that Jesse was the prime suspect. Jesse hadn't been seen for 6 months, Walt was responsible for the massacre and was there at the scene. The gunfire came from the boot of Walt's car which was still there at the scene (Jesse had left in Todd's car). All the evidence points to Walt not Jesse. There is no immediate evidence that Jesse was even there.

"It's really not all that hard to understand why they were looking for Jesse." Well it is actually...

I consider myself heavily invested, and did enjoy it - but consider that a hole in the plot. That's ok - there were several in BB but it was still a brilliant series and the film was great too.

*Edit - the "media reporting" you refer to was an attempt to cover this hole I think. There was nothing at the end of the series to suggest that anyone had been seen driving away.

I don't feel I need to defend the film at all - it speaks for itself. I'm in no way involved in the writing, casting, directing, etc...

I do think you're wrong about them inevitably being after Jesse. They're not to know what's happened when they first arrive on the scene. Personally, I don't find it a stretch at all that they'd consider Jesse a suspect and so quickly. If you consider it a hole, we disagree.

 

[OzMike]

We are planning on watching this tonight.

 

[OzMike]

Watched it and found it good to watch, clips of Bteaking Bad also helped.
Enjoyed it.

 

[GOM]

Decided to re-watch BrBa before I watch this, so now tucking into series 2.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Watched it and the Bold household like this thread was split down the middle. Mrs Bold, thought 'what the hell was that all about' and didn't really see the point of it as a film. I on the other hand really enjoyed it, particularly revisiting Todd, a truly brilliant portrayal of a psychopath. The now damaged but ruthless, experienced, determined Jesse no longer given to rashness or idiotic decisions, a single goal to get away whatever it takes I did think was enjoyable. Personally, thought taking Pinkman from wannabe gangsta-drugdealer falling out of a first floor window barely dressed in the first episode of BB, to hardened survivor eyeing his future in a frozen wilderness was a nice end to the whole thing. Enjoyable watch for me.